I'm Cheap. Fix My Cell Phone Please.

[indianafrank]

“Please fix this.” I handed my broken flip phone to the young guy behind the counter. It broke because I accidentally ran over it with my riding lawn mower. It was in hundreds of pieces. I was devastated. That phone was 16 years old. I did not want a new one. I’m old fashioned.
The young guy stared down at the mangled phone, then looked up at me and said. “Your kidding aren’t’ you?”
“Nope.”
“But this phone needs massive surgery.” He had a sense of humor.
“You don’t understand. I need this phone. Bring in your best surgeon. All of my business contacts and friends numbers are in it. Besides, I‘m cheap, and I don‘t want a new phone.”
“Well no problem. See this little chip. It’s called a Sims card.”
“A what?”
“A Sims card. I can get you a new phone and transfer the data from this chip into that phone.”
I looked at my broken phone and the hundreds of tiny pieces and realized I needed to bite the bullet, and buy a new phone.
“Ok, But I don’t wanna spend more than $50.00.”
The young guy looked at me like I had a third eye positioned in the middle of my forehead.”
“Ugh. You can’t get one for $50.”
“Look. All I wanna do is make calls. I don’t text. I don’t take pictures. I don’t wanna surf the web with it. Just get me a cheap, call only phone. I don‘t wanna phone that has a computer, and HD TV built into it.”
Anyway, I had to break down and buy a phone that cost more than $50. And it performs all of those functions that I did not want to do, because that is what all new phones do.
Buying a cell phone is like buying a new car. You pay for options you don’t need or want.

 

[simnettpratt]

Which is why I don't have a cell phone and will never buy a new car. I'll keep my 99 Miata (no electronic nuthin') forever. I worked with a mechanic who is going to keep his 40s something Ford pickup forever too. BTW, I'm coming over for football; you bring the wings, I'll bring the beer

 

[warren]

If you qualify, I believe the government will provide you with a "free" phone. Should you get one please send me a thank you note. I'd really like to know if any of my tax money is, in the end, making at least one person happy.

 

[phil67]

indianafrank you have the exact same outlook that I have when it comes to cell phones. I don't need a freaking computer and a camera in my pocket and I've never sent a text message in my life (never could understand the reasoning behind them). As long as the little sucker keeps my phone contacts and I can receive and send calls I'm a happy camper.

 

[crazypipe]

Like yourself I too have a flip phone and that's all I have and all I need. ::

 

[indianafrank]

simnettpratt - beer and wings are on me.
Warren, don't get me started on all the freebies we pay for others. I'm liable to get thrown off this forum!
Phil, if you lose or break that cell phone, you'll be in the same boat I was in. Guard and protect that baby like it was your child.

 

[tuold]

May seem odd, but I haven't actually talked to anyone on my phone for months. All communication has been by text and email. When a call does come in it's startling. "Who the hell is that?!" It usually turns out to be the car dealership telling me I need an oil change or my bank wanting to sell me investments. All calls go to voicemail where they are deleted.

 

[simnettpratt]

@frank: You sure I'm invited over? I live in Dallas and bleed blue and silver. Dallas fans happy for once this year. If you come down to Texas, you have a place to stay, and I live alone - the whole house is Men's Town! We get to smoke inside!

 

[warren]

simnettpratt: Will any Cowgirls be stopping by after the game?

 

[kcghost]

The Luddites would be proud of you.

 

[brian64]

indianafrank you have the exact same outlook that I have when it comes to cell phones. I don't need a freaking computer and a camera in my pocket and I've never sent a text message in my life (never could understand the reasoning behind them). As long as the little sucker keeps my phone contacts and I can receive and send calls I'm a happy camper.

+1
I've had the same cell phone for over a decade...no camera or anything else other than calls and texts. My goal is to never own another one in this lifetime. I don't have a contract either because I rarely use it...it's prepaid. I still have a land-line at home.
For anyone who uses them very much, I hope you're using either a headset or speaker...if you're holding them to your head you're frying your brain.
Are Cell Phones Really Giving Us Cancer?

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/09/15/are-cell-phones-really-giving-us-cancer/

 

[woodsroad]

What's a cell phone?
.

 

[phil67]

Phil, if you lose or break that cell phone, you'll be in the same boat I was in. Guard and protect that baby like it was your child.

Well, I'd certainly hate if something happened to it as I'm retired and living on a pension. However, as long as I have that little freaking sim. card which contains all of my contacts I know I can pick up another one for about $40.00 with my cell phone provider. What really drives me crazy to no end is these little moronic ass wipes with no life who wait in line and sleep on the street for days just to have the first and latest iPhone (or whatever) when they could easily have stayed at home and purchased the same idiotic device a few days later without doing so! Sorry for the rant, but this old fart just doesn't get it.
Have phone, can call and receive calls. I'm good to go. :wink:

 

[lucky695]

the more gadgets the better... it's a phone, a computer, a clock, an alarm clock, a calendar, a newspaper, a navigation system, a calculator, a book, a video game system, a mail currier, a camera, a photo album, a weatherman, a jukebox, a flashlight, a secretary, and a roledex... plus mine orders pizza!

 

[simnettpratt]

@warren: Er, yeah. Sure. I'm not an antisocial loner geek at all. Hey, I got to 'work' with the Cheerleaders once! I was doing a 3-month volunteer project for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program and they came by for a photo-op and to pretend they were working. Much prettier in real life.
No, they didn't wear their short shorts, but a one piece blue spandex stretchy thing. It had long sleeves and little stirrups that went around their little feeties. No curve left to the imagination. I checked. When they moved to another location, they'd march in step.
Mine was Monica Banfield. Her likes on her Cheerleader page were something like, 'puppies, church and family'. Yes, she was young. Perfect physically though.

 

[warren]

Puppies, church and family, what's not to like! I don't know that I could handle being around that many pretty ladies for long. I can only hold the old belly in for so long.
Hope your Cowboys do very well this year, it's been a while. Just not as well as the Packers though.

 

[bulldogbriar89]

I have a smart phone but I only use it to make calls or check my work emails. I lost it 2 days ago and didn't even notice till yesterday when I was wondering why I wasn't getting any e mails from work. I am not attached to my phone like most young people today.

 

[indianafrank]

simnettpratt, I'm not a Dallas fan, NY Giants here. But, next time in your neck of the woods, I'll let you know. Thanks!
BTW, my home is always open to friends. But I have to be here to. lol

 

[mso489]

indianafrank, I've been made to feel quite guilty about not "appreciating" technology more. People way older

than me have gotten with the arriving age and regularly buy new devices and enjoy the ever-changing menu

of functions, apps, and software they do. For years I had to use computers at work, and my introduction amounted

to a well designed aversion therapy. I won't string out the details, but it was always the least good machine and

software for the task at hand. Later, when I got a desktop computer at home, I fell prey to one of the major hardware

manufacturers scamming millions of people; states attorney generals made them give part of our money back. The

manufacturer started resuming billing us for services they'd never provided. I went ballistic at their customer service

department, so they removed me from their billing list. It was that or have me arrested. I will admit, I am not by nature

a good techy. On the bell curve of people who find technology intuitively obvious, I am at the far end that doesn't. But

the techy profession has done much to alienate their customers. I have a flip phone and a desktop computer. No smart

phone, lap top, tablet, iPad, etc. They do not make me happy. They do not charm me. They arouse no desire to own them

in me. I would have chosen to be part of this culture, at least to turn it to my purposes. I have submitted manuscripts by

email, as the only option. But I see it mostly as a burden, frustrating, confusing, insulting, and laborious. My compliments

to the many who find it "fun," "exciting," and a sociable and pleasing experience.

 

[indianafrank]

mso489, I do not disdain technology, I'm just a bit weathered in my experiences with life. It's tough teaching an old dog new tricks. I have been a business man for all of my adult life, and after retiring from my last business I began another more exciting and interesting one. I knew I needed to get with the program so to speak, because in order to survive in this new business, I needed to understand and appreciate the new technologies. The most difficult of those new technologies was giving up that flip phone. Old habits die hard. When all of my friends, business partners, employees, were texting, and wanting to text me or send me a much needed email via my cell phone, I hesitated. And had I not had that last beer while on my riding mower, I would have never run over that damn flip phone.